Gov. Heineman & Nebraska Education Leaders Launch New College Access Campaign

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman was joined by several of the state's leaders in education in launching a promotional campaign aimed at helping Nebraska students and their families prepare for college.

"It's not always enough to want to go to college," Gov. Heineman said. "We need kids to know how to get there. They need a plan, and that's what we hope this campaign can help them develop. The idea is to give Nebraska families the information they need to get more of our middle and high school students on the path to college."

'KnowHow2GO' is a national campaign created to encourage students to take four steps to begin planning for college, including: finding someone who can help guide them through the process; pushing themselves by taking rigorous classes; finding the right fit by learning about colleges that fit their career interests; and finding out about college funding options.

In Nebraska, the campaign is being coordinated by EducationQuest Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to improve access to higher education in Nebraska.

The Governor was joined in launching the campaign by leaders of Nebraska's P-16 Initiative, University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken, Nebraska Commissioner of Education Doug Christensen, and Liz Fieselman, President of EducationQuest.

Fieselman said, "This campaign is focused on promoting the steps students need to take to make college a reality. Most students aspire to attend college; they're just not sure how to get there. This campaign can help guide them."

EducationQuest will work to place public service announcements (PSA's) on billboards, print and broadcast media, and this fall will provide promotional materials to 8th, 9th and 10th graders at targeted middle and high schools across the state. While KnowHow2GO is a good strategy for help all students plan for college, the campaign is aimed at helping low income students and students who would be the first in their families take steps to begin planning to attend college. Materials will be available in both English and Spanish.

The Governor has challenged educational leaders to help improve Nebraska's college-going rate. With a high school graduation rate of 83.8 percent, Nebraska is among the top five states in the country. However, the state's college-going rate is 59.7 percent. A five percent increase would give Nebraska one of the top five college attendance rates in the country.

President Milliken said, "The governor has set an ambitious goal for increasing Nebraska's college-going rate, and I look forward to working with him to achieve this important result. Nebraska's success in creating new jobs and sustaining those that are already in the state is directly tied to our ability to prepare all Nebraskans for success in high school and to offer our students the opportunity for a college education. The path to Nebraska's economic future goes right through our classrooms."

In addition to PSA's, a number of school districts, mentoring programs and statewide educational organizations have signed on to help promote the campaign, including the University of Nebraska, the Nebraska State College System, the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, the Nebraska State Education Association, and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators.

Commissioner Christensen said, "Nebraska's public schools work hard to encourage students to take rigorous courses, but we must do more. We must assure that all students are prepared to move on after high school and ready for continued learning opportunities. We must make sure our kids are college ready, and the information provided through this public campaign will help students find a way to get there."

Those interested in getting involved with the campaign may contact EducationQuest Foundation by calling 800-303-3745. More information on Nebraska's KnowHow2Go campaign is available online by clicking here.